1 9. MR rif011 S i;OSTON. their ftipend would have been, got by following fame advieeti given me as above mentioned. I lodged in the houfe ofSimon Dryfdale, who regretted the prefbytery's untendernefs in their cafe ; and on the morrow carne to me James II,irk, with other three of the elders, who fhewed their eoncern on the account of my departure, and withal their continued refòlution to proficuta the defign of my fettlement among them, ftill regretting the prefttytery's flipping the occafron that was in their hands, and (hewing that their two neighbouring minifters, on the well and eaft, were and had been their enemies in the defign. The fame week Mr Turnbull told me, that the prefbytery might, and, if they would take his advice, fhould go on, withal complaining fomewhat of then in the matter ; fa that by him, as well as the people, the blame of the marring of that fettlement, fo far, was laid at their door. Perhaps the trouble they had by Mr Mair, in Airth, on the ftriCt fide, made them the more wary as to me, though I never entertained feparating principles. I had the comfort of the teftimony ofjudicious Chriftians, that my work in that country, and particularly in that parifh, was not in vain in the Lord ; and found from feveral perform,' that the Lord had made the word in my mouth to reach their own cafe, and to be a difcerner of the thoughts of their hearts. The fame which, it feems, fell out in the cafe of thine others, who knew not fo well how the word was direéted ; whereof a judici- ous Chriftian gave me this inftance, namely, that difcourfingwith acertain man in Dollar, whom he knew to be of a violent difpo- fìtion againft prefbyterian preachers, and expeéted accordingly to find ruffled by the fermons on the faftday ; he, on the contrary, found him to Phew a liking of me; efpecially by reafon of than fermons, for that they had let him fee things to be fin, which he never thought before had been fo. Moreover, he faid, I had great fkill, and told things ftrangely, even force thingswhich he thought no body knew, and that he wondered who could tell me; and that if William (his fon I fuppofe) had been any way abroad, he would have thought he had told me. His wife figni- fled, that fome of theparifh Paid, I had more wit than my own. Thefe things were encouraging to me, as they difcovered the character of the Lord's word in my preaching, namely, that it is a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." May 3. The prefbytery granted me teftimonials, I promifing to fatisfy them if they fhould write for me, probable grounds of encouragement appearing : and they appointed a minifter to preach at Dollar on the Sabbath was twenty days, and,,on the Tuefday following, to moderate in a call there. On the 8th I took my journey, having had an afleéting parting with feveral Chriftian fri:.nds : and truly it was no fmall part of my grief, if not the greateft, to leave force ferious fouls, whom God had made me an infirument of good to, and to whofe prayers I doubt not but I was obliged.. I carne that day to Barhill, where, upon
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